


Of Spaghetti and Pina Coladas

by Atalto



Series: The Story of Us (Pebble's Shance Fluff Week fics) [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling, Day 8: Free Day, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Season 2, References to Underage Drinking, Shance Fluff Week 2017, alcohol mention, blue loves lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 19:16:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11168346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atalto/pseuds/Atalto
Summary: Back at the Garrison, Shiro had learned of the dangers of black holes. Sure, there was no chance of finding one in their solar system, but should they ever venture outside of it, it was a hazard that should be remembered.Spagettitfication, he recalled. Every atom of your body being stretched into immeasurably long strings of matter by a gravity stronger than anything known; death in milliseconds.Sure, he'd remembered it was over quickly, but here, floating endlessly through a mental space, Shiro was pretty sure this was what those milliseconds left like.~Written for Shance Fluff Week day 8: Free Day





	Of Spaghetti and Pina Coladas

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!
> 
> This is it! The last fic!!! This has gone so quickly holy f u c k  
> I wanna thank you guys for sticking with me for this, it's certainly been an experiment that came out kinda well!! I've had so many lovely comments and it makes my world spin.  
> This is for you guys, thank you so much
> 
> Enjoy!

Back at the Garrison, Shiro had learned of the dangers of black holes. Sure, there was no chance of finding one in their solar system, but should they ever venture outside of it, it was a hazard that should be remembered.  
Spagettitfication, he recalled. Every atom of your body being stretched into immeasurably long strings of matter by a gravity stronger than anything known; death in milliseconds.   
Sure, he'd remembered it was over quickly, but here, floating endlessly through a mental space, Shiro was pretty sure this was what those milliseconds left like.

It was an odd experience. Shiro wasn't moving, had no momentum to move anywhere, but the stars and galaxies were smoothly edging out of sight. He wasn't even aware of his body and where it ended. For all he knew, his fingertips stretched on for infinity, and every twitch was pulled into hours. He was just floating through the endless void of space.  
If he stopped to think about that, he'd probably be in a lot more panic than he ever was. Most of his time there was taken up with onslaughts of visuals that slammed into his head from the Black Lion; visuals of his team, how they didn't want to admit it but they were falling apart around him, and of Black's history and the events that had shaped it's life. At times, he wasn't even aware of his own breathing, unsure how he even could breathe in this empty void. Time didn't exist here, days only punctuated by flashes of colour from his dreams.  
 _"You will be safe here."_ Black's echoing roar insisted, blunt as ever but with a concerned, worried undertone. _"Rest. Heal. Your time will come again soon."_  
He had little choice but to believe her.

He fell backwards, and darkness overtook his closed eyes. Silence.

* * *

 

Shiro awoke to the soft rushing of waves and a solid ground below him. It was jarring, unknown compared to the feeling of endlessly floating through an abyss. Whatever he was leaning on was grainy and slipped between his fingers no matter how much he grabbed, and shifted under his shoulder blades with each movement of his arm.   
He opened his eyes to a brilliant nights sky, but not like those he'd come to expect in space. If he focused hard enough, he could make out familiar constellations; Cancer, Gemini, Cassiopeia, Pegasus just peeping up from the horizon. Earth constellations.  
Was he home?

Turning his head slightly, Shiro learned he was on a beach; that explained the faint whisper of waves, and the sand that wormed round his fingertips. It slipped under him when he tried to stand, legs so unused to working that they were shaky and unresponsive.

_"I see you're awake."_ A low voice echoed, seemingly coming from everywhere but nowhere. Shiro turned rapidly on the ball of his foot frantically. _"There's no need to panic, Cub, you're safe."_  
"Who are you?" He called back, wincing at the waver in his voice. He span back around to face the ocean once again, and was greeted by a jet black lion that had materialised into view; it was huge, with a large, yellow speckled mane, golden markings across its fur and large red wings ruffling in the faint breeze. In the starlight, it seemed to glow, knowing eyes staring him down. _"Relax."_ It said again, although it's mouth never moved.  
Shiro felt himself go lax, breathing deeply to beat the panic growing in his throat. "Where am I?" He asked slowly.  
 _"Not where you think you are."_ The lion replied, monotonous and regal.  
"Which is?"  
 _"We decided your quintessence was healed enough to regain a spiritual form."_ The lion shifted onto all fours, slinking forwards and inclined her head for Shiro to follow. _"We also decided that Blue's mindscape would be the most suitable to stage the next part of your recovery. Unfortunately, you can only be here when the Blue Paladin sleeps, for that is the only time when Blue activates her mindscape."_  
"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Shiro ran to catch up, falling into step next to the lion. "Mindscape? Recovery? You've lost me, I'm sorry."  
Next to him, the lion gave a rumble in place of what he assumed was a laugh. _"After the confrontation with my former Paladin, your quintessence was drained to dangerous levels. To avert this, we stored your remaining energy in, what I believe you humans call the 'Astral Plane'. Each lion's plane takes on a different form, suited to them and their paladin. You've seen mine."_ Shiro nodded numbly, incredibly familiar with the void of space he'd been in. _"Blue's is the most peaceful right now. It's usually water related, but this must be somewhere personal to her cub, don't you agree?"_  
"What's wrong with the other ones?" He inquired curiously, frowning at the rumble the lion released again.   
_"Red's is always violent, even more so with her current cub. Yellow's is currently a scrapyard, apparently his cub has a habit of tinkering and inventing, and Green's is never active because her cub has never heard of sleep. None of these places are suitable for your recovery."_ The statement was very matter-of-fact, shutting down any questions Shiro had on the matter. It was all quite overwhelming, but the soft hush of a beach by moonlight was infinitely nicer than never-ending space.  
"If this is Blue's plane, will Lance be here soon?" There was excitement present in his voice; the chance to see Lance again, to pull him close and tell him he's alive was something he hadn't considered before.  
 _"Be patient, my cub. He will be present soon. Do you want to sit?"_ There were two deck chairs behind him, instantly materialising just like everything else. Shiro gingerly took a seat on the hard plastic, and waited.

* * *

 

"C'mon Blue! Let's hit the waves!"

Shiro awoke with a start, head snapping up at the familiar voice. He was, thankfully, still on the beach, and the black lion was lounging on the sand next to the deck hair, effortlessly turning yellow eyes towards the source of the noise.  
Over the dune of sand came running someone who was so unmistakably Lance in a tight, black wetsuit, and soon after, a lion appeared as well. This one was a bright blue against the navy of the sky, and followed Lance without hesitation and they dived into the sea with a splash. Despite himself, he laughed at the blue Paladins antics, earning a soft glare from the lion next to him.  
 _"I told you he'd be here soon."_ She hummed, turning her great head back to the spectacle. _"My sister is such a child."_  
"It's refreshing." Shiro countered softly, never tearing his eyes away from the young man who was currently trying to dunk his lion whilst dodging pawfulls of salty seawater. "Can he see me?"  
 _"Of course."_ The lion sounded smug and her maw curled into what could be considered a smile. _"Wait for it."_  
Shiro laughed. "That's all you ever tell me to do."  
 _"And maybe you just need to learn patience, my cub. After all, isn't it you that keeps claiming that 'patience yields focus'?"_  
"Oi." He laughed despite himself, turning back towards Lance in the sea and smiling. "Can you tell him we're here?"  
 _"Someone's eager."_ She taunted, getting to her feet. Once she was stood, planted firmly in the sand, she released a roar louder than anything Shiro had ever heard before. It echoed around the beach, rumbling and swaying the palm trees that had appeared on the dunes, and Blue's head whipped up in the water.

All was still as Lance made eye contact with Shiro, laughter dying away into shock. He stood there, tense and unmoving in the water, eyes wide and cautious.  
"Shiro?" He asked, barely audible despite the silence of the beach.  
Then the blue lion bounded over, dragging Lance with her, skidding to a halt in a cloud of sand. "How, how are you...?" He trailed off, arms moving awkwardly and eyes averting to the ground.  
"Don't ask, because I honestly don't know. Something about healing quintessence?"  
Lance shrugged. "That's enough for me."  
The next thing Shiro knew, he was pulled into a rough hug by the smaller paladin, who tightly secured his arms around Shiro's chest, and Shiro melted into the embrace. The rubber of the wetsuit chafed against his arms, and Lance's hair smelled strongly of salt and sea, but the solidness of Lance's body was reassuring enough. He squeezed gently, and placed his head in the crook of Lance's neck.   
"I miss you, Kitten," Shiro whispered, muffled by Lance's shoulder, but the chuckle he felt through his cheek told him Lance had heard.  
"I miss you too, you great ass." Lance pulled away and looked up at Shiro with the most overjoyed expression he had ever seen on the younger paladin, "It hasn't been the same recently, not without you."  
Frowning, Shiro sat back down on the deck chair, never taking his eyes off Lance as he sat opposite, the Blue Lion draping herself over him. "How so? Is Voltron okay?"  
Lance sighed, twirling his fingers through Blue's fur and earning a loud purr. "Yeah, it's all fine, don't panic. It's just, I don't know, different."  
"Is Keith okay?" Shiro asked tentatively.   
"Keith's fine, Keith's great!" Lance nodded with widened eyes. "Don't tell him this, but he's actually a really good leader, isn't he Black?"  
 _"The red cub is certainly getting the hang of things."_ Black added serenely. _"But I get the distinct impression that Red wants her chosen pilot back."_  
Shiro smiled slightly, secretly pleased his gamble had paid off. "So, who's flying Red then?"  
The effect was immediate; Blue jumped to her feet, settling over Lance's shoulders with her head on top of his. _"My cub!"_  
"Wait, so who's flying you?"  
 _"The Lion princess."_ Blue said matter-of-factly. _"She's very good. Not as good as my cub though."_ The lion rubbed her cheek against Lances, causing him to laugh and playfully push the lion away. _"Red should count herself lucky she has such a wonderful temporary pilot."_  
"Oh Blue, you flatterer!" Lance joked back.  
Shiro laughed despite himself, turning and smiling at Black's joking distain. "Are you okay with Keith piloting you?"  
Black looked at him sideways, humming with what Shiro assumed as a slight laugh. _"The Red cub is in no way the pilot you are, but he'll do."_  
"And Hunk and Pidge? Are they okay?"  
Lance nodded again, smiling wider. "Pidge recently found another lead on Matt, so she's pretty hyped right now, and Shay has joined the team for good now, so Hunk's spent the past couple of days giving her the grand Castle tour."  
 _"Shay?"_ Blue asked.  
"You know, the Balmeran?" Lance raised an eyebrow at the lion.  
 _"Oh, the rock! I like her."_  
 _"_ Blue, that's because you like everyone."  
 _"True!"_ Blue settled back into a lying position over Lance's lap.

"So the lion swap isn't the problem here?" Shiro asked Lance, getting back to the original question.   
Lance shrugged. "Not really. We all know it's only temporary, Keith most of all. And sure, Red doesn't like me much-"  
 _"That's a lie my cub, she merely is getting used to you."_  
"Okay, so she's 'not used to me yet'," he rolled his eyes, "but she's still forming Voltron with me, and flying for me, so that's gotta' stand for something."  
 _"I believe the problem lies in the lack of order in the Castle now."_ Black stated, short tone cutting through Lance's rambling.   
Shiro cocked his head, confused. "Order?"  
"Well, Keith is a good leader and all, but he still butts heads with the Princess a lot. I don't think she's quite over the whole 'galra' thing yet." He wigged his fingers in the air for emphasis. "And then Kolivan gets involved, since it turns out the entire Blade of Marmora operates from the castle now, and that just makes it worse since he doesn't agree with Keith or the Princess. By the time they've decided on something, poof!" He threw his arms in the air, "half the day is officially wasted."  
Shiro buried his head in his hands. "Can you just send me back now?"  
 _"No, that is highly ill advised."_ Black spoke immediately. _"If I were to return you to the physical plane now, your body would be too weak to function, let alone make decisions, and you would die within quintents."_  
Three sets of eyes fixed upon Black, unblinking.   
"Alright," Lance said slowly, "we're not sending him back yet."  
 _"You're such a drama queen, sister!"_ Blue mocked, exhaling loudly.

"So, do you come here often?" Shiro asked, eager to change the subject but cringing at his own awkwardness. Thankfully, Lance smiled widely and laughed at the obvious clunkiness of the statement.  
"Well, I come here whenever I'm asleep, see," he explained, "Blue creates the entire thing out of her magic, it's so cool!"  
Blue purred contently, nuzzling into his hand. _"Anything for my cub."_  
Shiro looked around; the more he registered, the more this place seemed so typical of what he'd expect of the blue paladin. "So, this beach, its-"  
"Varadero beach!" Lance butted in excitedly, "Blue recreates it from my memories, I think, so anything I want around here tends to happen."  
"Like?"  
Lance thought for a moment. "Like, if I want to go surfing, Blue will create tons of huge waves! But if I want to swim one night, she'll make the sea pretty calm." He looked down at Blue, nodding, and looking back up. "Hey Kashi, do you like Piña Coladas?"  
The question took him back slightly. "I guess? I've never really had one before."

He doesn't finish the sentence before Lance smirked and looked at the small plastic table between the two chairs. Sure enough, there were now two tall glasses on the table, filled with what Shiro assumed was Piña Colada, and topped with whipped cream, cherries, and tiny metallic umbrellas that glinted in the pale moonlight.   
"Those- those weren't there before." Shiro stuttered, as Lance grinned wider and took a loud slurp of the drink closest to him.  
 _"Nope! But my cub asked me to put them there!"_ Blue chirped, rolling off Lance's lap and into the soft sand.   
Lance laughed and tapped the side of his head. "All recreated from my memories, so these are exactly like the ones my brother used to make." He took another sip, sighing contently. "Tastes like home."  
Shiro smiled fondly at Lance opposite him, and took one glass for himself. He took a sip through the thick straw- and instantly coughed half of it back up. "Christ, your brother was heavy-handed with the rum!"  
"Hell yeah he was!" Lance cheered through his laughter, "these were the highlight of any family gathering!"  
Shiro chuckled, looking sceptically at the glass in his hand. "I'm amazed your parents let you drink this stuff."   
"They always said they'd rather me get drunk with them than at some sleazy high school party." He took another sip and set the glass back down on the table. "Pretty good, don't ya' think?"  
Shiro had to agree; once he got past the alcohol, the drink was incredibly tasty. God, he'd missed this.

"Hey, Kitten?" Shiro asked, setting the drink on the side and standing up, shaking Black beside him awake after she had dosed off.   
"Yeah Kashi?" Lance barely had time to answer before Shiro strode over gathered him into a huge hug, ending with them both topping over onto the deck chair. "Get off me, you huge lug!" He laughed, half pushing Shiro as he rolled next to him.   
"I missed you Kitten." Shiro pressed his face into Lance's neck, grinning wider at the laugh he heard when his lips brushed over a ticklish spot.   
"I missed you too Kashi, but if you tickle me one more time, I will push you in the sand." Blue snickered and wandered over to sit next to Black, letting Shiro take up the full half of the deck chair and look up into the inky sky.  
"Y'know, I never thought I'd see this again." He mused, reaching down and taking Lance's hand in his own.  
Lance shrugged awkwardly. "It's not like it's real though, is it?"  
"It's closer than I thought I was ever going to get." Shiro softly fired back, and he pulled Lance's knuckle up to kiss lips, kissing it gently. "Thank you."

* * *

 

They lay side by side for what felt like forever, watching the stars crawl through the black expanse above them; at some point, Lance had curled up next to Shiro, peppering his cheek with light kisses as he pointed out constellations and figures.

_"My cub? I think it's time to leave."_ Blue said eventually, telepathic voice groggy with sleep. _"The lion Princess is calling you for morning muster."_  
Lance groaned in annoyance, and the black sky above them became tinged with light blue and yellow; a sunrise was occurring, and somehow that meant they had to leave?  
"The beach isn't too great in the day," Lance explained as he sat up, as if he had read Shiro's mind, "too many tourists."  
"I'll see you tomorrow night then." It was a promise; even if he wasn't strictly allowed, he'd talk to Black, he'd find a way.   
Lance nodded. "Lookin' forward to it."  
"Oh, and Lance?"  
Lance's head whipped around.  
"Tell the others I'm alive, I'll be with them as soon as possible, and," he breathed, trying to find the words, "I'm proud you, all of you."  
"Of course." Lance grinned, and Blue was suddenly at his side. "I love ya' Kashi, don't forget it."  
"I couldn't." He pulled Lance in for a short kiss, the press of lips feeling to real in what his mind screamed was a fabricated beach. The movement, the seaweed-like scent of Lance, the feeling of Lance's breath on his skin, it all felt real.

And then Lance was gone, and the sand under his feet didn't exist anymore. His hands grappled in the air for something solid, the table, the chairs, Black, _anything._

All he felt was empty space.

Within seconds, the air had rushed from his lungs again. Fresh sea tang had been replaced with an asphyxiated staleness. The beach was gone, once again replaced by infinity and starlight that taunted him with its beauty; how something so wondrous could become so mocking was anyone's guess.

_"Relax."_ He heard Black's booming rumble again, echoing around him from no one direction. " _You will be safe here. Rest. Heal. Your time will come again soon."_

He felt himself fall backwards, and darkness overtook his closed eyes once again.

Silence.

**Author's Note:**

> Look I have complete faith in the Lion swap let me be.
> 
> Also, watch this space, I'll likely be uploading some more Voltron stuff here soon.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and staying with me!!!  
> Until next time, space paladins


End file.
